The chemistry of pentafluorosulfanyl derivatives has gained importance in the last few years, especially since novel preparation processes have been found (Tetrahedron 56 (2000) 3399; Organic Letters 4(17) (2002) 3013). However, to date only very few compounds are known which bear substituents other than hydrogen and fluorine on a phenyl ring in the ortho-position to the pentafluorosulfanyl group. The only known synthetic route (Journal of Fluorine Chemistry 112 (2001) 287) uses expensive reagents such as AgF2 and is afflicted with poor yields. The authors account for this by the large bulk of the pentafluorosulfanyl group which generally makes ortho-substitution very difficult. This opinion is also shared by other authors (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 84 (1962) 3064). It is therefore surprising that it is possible to electrophilically substitute in the ortho-position to the pentafluorosulfanyl group. In this way, novel ortho-substituted pentafluorosulfanylbenzenes are obtained which constitute valuable intermediates, for example for preparing medicaments, diagnostic aids, liquid crystals, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, nematicides, parasiticides, insecticides, acaricides, arthropodicides and polymers.